


Between Hello & Goodbye

by Abbyromana



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (1963)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-10
Updated: 2019-09-09
Packaged: 2020-10-13 18:53:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20587361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Abbyromana/pseuds/Abbyromana
Summary: Every relationship begins with a single gesture or word, and concludes the same way.





	Between Hello & Goodbye

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers from The Unearthly Child to The Dalek Invasion of Earth (Doctor Who)

The first time the Doctor met her, she didn’t even have a name yet.

Her parents: his son and the Time Lady that the elders of Lungbarrow chose as a mate for his son, were following Time Lord Ritual. They were waiting for the head of the House of Lungbarrow to give her a name. Endless solar cycles would pass before her Naming Ceremony. He couldn’t wait, despite the Rule #25 of the Time Lord Looming Ritual Laws:

_Prior to the Naming Ceremony, no one outside the parents and the Overseer of the Looms may lay eyes upon the loomed._

He’d never been patient, never willing to wait for others to tell him when something was okay. He was over 400 years old and seen more of the universe than any other living Time Lord today. He’d even dared to take charge of his own fate and name, calling himself ‘the Doctor.’ So, why should he have to listen to those bureaucrats too afraid to even step foot off Gallifrey or to scientists half his age? There wasn’t any as far as he was concerned.

That is why the Doctor dared to break Rule #25 of the Time Lord Looming Ritual Laws. When she was about a few solar days old, he found an excuse to visit his son and his son’s mate. He knew that by right and responsibility as paternal grandfather, he was to plan out an Honouring Celebration in her name for after the Naming Ceremony. Of course, he knew her parents would be keeping her hidden away in her room, allowing her to do nothing but sleep all day.

Still, the Doctor hoped, if he could keep her parents distracted long enough, he might just get a peek at her. He knew it was foolish endeavour for a simple thing, but the Doctor was impatient. After all, she was his first grandchild. Lucky for the Doctor, important matters called away his daughter-in-law, and only his son remained between him and his grandchild. The Doctor’s son was a good young man in the Doctor’s eyes. Unlike his son’s argumentative and strict mate, the Doctor’s son was reasonable and understanding. Still, the Doctor thought his son would never do anything against his mate’s wishes. Thus, he tricked his son, using his age and appearance to his advantage.

For some time, the Doctor had been playing up these weaknesses. He’d gotten very good at it. People often went out of their way to help me out, because they thought he was incapable and weak, which was far from the truth at his current age. Right now, he played that part again complaining that his failing memory made him forget an important data pad concerning his granddaughter’s celebration plans. He made such a fuss about it being hard to go up and the stairs, and him always being so forgetful that his son volunteered to rush quickly down four floors below to get it from the Doctor’s flat. He didn’t argue with his son, but waited patiently for him to leave.

A second after the main doors to the flat had slid shut, the Doctor leapt from his seat and headed to the farthest bedroom door. It was a simple white door. There was nothing special about it, except for the secure digital lock. He was only concerned about it for a moment, before using a useful tool he’d found in a spare time capsule tool box: a basic sonic screwdriver. The lock beeped in confirmation of open, and then, sliding his hand along the access pad beside the door, the door slid open.

A brightly lit room appeared before him, but it looked as simple and white as the door itself. No decorations covered the walls; there was only a small, shut closest on the left wall, and a small crib and changing table lined the right. The Doctor crept past the changing table and towards the crib, arching his neck to see the tiny form nestled inside.

_Small, pink and dark head._

These were the first words to rush through the Doctor’s mind, while he gazed down upon his granddaughter. She lay sprawled on her back and swaddled up in a white blank so very, very tightly that the Doctor wondered how she could be comfortable. He couldn’t even see her hands due to them being securely wrapped up in the white blanket.

He probably should have left at that moment, having already gotten his peek at his granddaughter, but he didn’t. Her condition didn't sit right with him, so he did what he was often scolded for doing: he interfered. Reaching down into the crib, he began to unwind the layers of blanket from around her. He had just managed to get the first layer unwound when she started to stir.  
  
This way and that she twist vigorously, but the Doctor continued to remove the white blanket. The thick white material felt very hot and scratchy to the touch. He thought that was why she was getting so very fussy.

His granddaughter’s tiny mouth suddenly opened wide, releasing a sharp wail. It pierce the quietness of the apartment with such volume that for a moment the Doctor feared his son might hear even from four floors down. Still, he went on fearing her from the blankets. Her cries continued and even crescendo. Soon, she started to kick her little legs, making it even harder. The material started to twist more about them. He stared down at her reddening face, momentarily puzzled. Again, he wondered if he should leave, fearing anything more might make it worse, but he just couldn’t leave her here in distress.

Gently, he placed one hand under her small dark coloured mess of hair and the other under her lower back and bottom. In one quick movement, lifted her out of the crib and placed her against his chest. Then he returned to unwrapping the blanket from her flailing legs. The Doctor only needed a bit more effort to finally free her of her confinements.

“About time,” he said with a sigh, glaring at the offending blanket before tossing it back into her crib. “Stupid thing! I can’t believe they even... consider...”

The Doctor stopped short of his rant when he realised his granddaughter had stopped crying, and instead, was making a gurgling, cooing noise. Gazing down upon her, he noticed she tilted her head back slightly. Her dark brown eyes were wide open and focused up at him with a partial, glistening smile. He imagined she was saying, ‘thank you.’

“You’re welcome, little one,” the Doctor said, grinning back. “I’m always here for you.”

  
_To be continued..._


End file.
